Rotatable stage for microscopes



March 31, 1931. w, sc AFER ROTATABLE STAGE FOR MIGROSCOPES 2 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed Feb. 14, 1929 INVENTOR March 31, 1931. w. SC AFER 1,798,634

ROTATABLE STAGE FOR MICROSCOPES Filed Feb. 14, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Patented 31, 1931 'PTENT triesrerun sheen roe erronoscorns.

Application mes Eebruary 34, rest, seal to. sea:

This invention. relates to a rotatable stage for miscroscopes. I

The object of the present invention is the construction of a rotatable stage in, which the friction is reduced to a minimum and a true rotation secured, all unnecessary play be tween the parts being eliminated.

According to this invention the rotatable stage is mounted upon a number of balls 11) which are free to rotate in any direction, The

balls are provided with a cage and they, are. mounted in an annular race formed between a flange or ring attched to the under surface of the stage plate dud a relatively fixed ring. 35 The rotation thuatalres place on a ring of balls which provide for and axial stresses.

in the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is,.an elevatioh with parts in secill tion of one construction rotatable stage according .to this invention,

Figurefl is a partial plan view of same of the balls and their cage, and y Figures 3 and i a-re views similar to Figure 1 but illustrating modified constructions of rotatable stages also according to this invention. With reference first to Figures 1 and 2;, a is the rotatable member or object-carrying plate of the stage. It is provided on its under surface with a flanged ring b havin a surface 6 which rests upon a number 0" balls c. The ring b is detachably connected to the plate a by screws al and attached to the ring 5 by screws 6 is an inner ring f having a surface 7 which cooperates with the surface 5 to form an annularV-shaped recess. -The balls 0 are provided with a cage 9 and they run in an annular V-shaped recess in a member it fixed by screws k to an outer ring is secured to the microscope stand m. An annular cap Z covers the lower part of the members f' and h. It will be seen that by this construction, whilst perfectly free and frictionless rotation of the plate a in a horizontal plane is provided for, all movement or rock in a vertical plane is prevented. It will also be seenthat adjustment between the surfaces b and f is possible. 0 In the construction illustrated in Figure 3 I in which there are more than one ring of balls,

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the rim t attached to the plate a by the screws 3 has a ll-she ed annular recess b and the outer member 0 the ball race is made in two parts, one being a ring b secured by the screws it to the fixed part k and the other a ring it adjustably connected tothe ringia? by screws ht, 1

Figure 4 shows another modification in which there are two rings of balls c and c in a cage 9 The outer surfaces of these balls run on oblique bearing surfaces on a ring'it secured to the fined member is by the screws it, The inner surfaces of the upper ring of ballsc run in a V-shaped race in ringt attached to the plate a by the screws d, and to this ring b is adjustably secured by screws b a ring with a ei-shaped race in which the lower ring of balls 0 run.

This construction is given as an example but in the preferred practical constructions a single ring of ballsis used as it enables the rotating stage to be made of less depth and consequently does not require the mountings or the sub-stage condensers or other sub-stage fittings. to be of more than the ordinary depth;

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1, In a device of the character described, [2:- fixed support, a microscopeistage mounted to rotate with respect thereto, a member secured to the support and provided with an interior annular ball race, other members secured to the said stage and forming an exterior annular ball race cooperating with the said interior ball race and balls interposed between said interior and-exterior ball races in" contact therewith. v

2. In a device of thecharacter described, a fixed support, an annular ball race member secured t ereto, balls in said race, a micro-- scope stage, annular ball race members secured thereto and cooperating with the said first named ball race member to form an enclosed ball race and a plurality or. balls in the lbatter in contact with the said ball race meme-rs.

3. In a device of the character described,

a microscope stage, a first ball race member 3 2 I 1 r 1,700,684 I secured thereto havin an'outer inclined ball race surface, a secon ball race member ad- 'ustably secured to the said first member and aving an inclined ballrace surface cooperating with the said first inclined surface to 5 form an inner ,V-shaped ball race, a third fixed annular ball race member having a V- shaped ball race opposedto and coo erating wit the said first named V-shaped all race and a plurality of balls runnin within and in contact with the said two -shaped ball races. v

'4. In a device of the character described, a microscope sta e, ball race members seecured theretoto orm an exterior V-shaped groove, means for adjusting the apposed inclined sides of the sand groove, a xed member providing a V-shaped groove 0 posed to the said first named groove and be Is within and in contact with all four sides of the said grooves.

5. In a device of the character described, a rotatable stage for a microscope, a plurality of ball races and balls forming a ball bearing for supportin said rotatable stage and preventing latera and vertical movement thereof and a fixed support for said ball races.

Signed at Frankfort-on-the-Main, Germany, in the Province of Hessen-Nassau and State of Prussia'this seventh day of January A. D. 1929.

Y SC 1' FEB. 

